MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT FOR Cyta's RIGHT TO OPERATE IN ENERGY - WHAT ARE THE BALANCES? - Filenews 13/3 by Eleftheria Paizanou
Despite the initial misgivings of the parties, it now appears that Cyta will acquire the right by law to operate in the electricity sector, through renewable energy sources (RES).
And this is because the information of "F" states that the relevant bill, which is pending in Parliament, seems to be gaining a majority for a vote.
According to our information, DISY, DIKO and DIPA will join forces and next week, when the bill is put before the Plenary Session of the Parliament, they will give their positive vote.
The other parties are concerned about the stance they will take, as they are concerned about the effects that the EAC may have from Cyta's integration into the energy sector.
It is recalled that the president of the EAC, George Petrou, speaking recently before the parliamentary Finance Committee, warned that the Electricity Authority will lose four to five thousand customers if Cyta does business in the energy sector.
At the same time, MPs are also deeply concerned about a possible negative impact on Cyta if the bill is not approved, as the president of the Authority, Maria Tsiakka, has already warned that in case of rejection of the bill, the future of Cyta is at stake, since - as she said - it is not possible for some private competitors to implement regulations that bring them revenue, unlike the organization.
As he argued, Cyta's competitors will be able to offer telephony and energy packages, which will affect the viability of the Authority. At the same time, it was said that Cyta will not immediately join the energy sector and assurances were given that it will not enter conventional energy, but green energy, which will be aimed at a specific consumer profile.
However, the leadership of the EAC proposed that there be cooperation between the two organizations in the field of energy, something for which the PSC (Commission for the Protection of Competition) essentially blocked the way, as, as it argued, it would create a monopoly, since both organizations belong to the state.
Next Monday, the members of the parliamentary Finance Committee will convey the final positions expressed by their parties to the next session of the Plenary Session of the Parliament. In fact, they are expected to clarify whether they will also submit amendments to the bill. As we are informed, no amendments have been prepared so far.
They react to Papakonstantinou's intervention
At the same time, there is turmoil in Cyta for the intervention in the matter of the Auditor General Andreas Papaconstantinou. The employees are alarmed, as they consider the positions of the Auditor General unfair, stressing that European competition law allows the activities of organizations in open markets.
The Auditor General, in a letter on Tuesday to the Minister of Finance Makis Keravnos, stated that he has doubts about the correctness of the amendment of the law. In fact, he argues that the impression given that the Authority's entry into the energy sector will lead to a reduction in costs for households is misleading. In addition, the Auditor General emphasizes in his letter that there are alternative ways for Cyta to be active in energy and to offer an enhanced package of services to its customers, but without directly competing with another state arm, the EAC. As he said, the two powerful public organizations can and must operate cooperatively and complementarily and not competitively.
Cyta believes that utilizing the potential of a healthy public organization enhances the value of public property and will create additional benefit for the economy and citizens. In fact, many times the Organization has emphasized in its public statements that the bill updates Cyta's institutional framework to operate in other markets, as is the case with other public organizations. In the coming days, Cyta will determine its next steps and actions, in relation to the positions of the Audit Office.
